Man convicted of Shorewood's first homicide in 20 years sentenced

MILWAUKEE -- 21-year-old Homer Washington, the man who killed 57-year-old Clarence Charles, has been sentenced to 36 years in prison and 14 years of extended supervision. This was Shorewood's first homicide in 20 years.

According to the criminal complaint, Washington and Charles were involved in a relationship. The complaint goes on to say the two were fighting, because Charles alleged Washington was messing around with someone else. Washington told police the two argued for a while about this.

According to Washington's testimony, he and Charles went into the bedroom to engage in sexual acts. Washington told police he had trouble performing, and this upset Charles. Washington says Charles left the room to retrieve a frozen pizza he put in the oven before going into the bedroom.

Washington claims Charles came back into the room with a knife in his hand. He also alleges Charles punched him in the back of the head as he was trying to get dressed. The two men struggled for the knife, and in his testimony Washington says Charles stabbed himself in the neck. Washington tells police he began choking and stabbing Charles. An autopsy found Charles had been stabbed 11 times.

Washington told police he saw that Charles was not breathing, but left anyway. He fled the scene in Charles' stolen vehicle. He later sold the Chevy Blazer for $250.